The Toyota Kirloskar Motor Employees Union (TKMEU) on Monday upped the ante in its stand-off with the management, claiming support from unions of ancillary units and threatening to intensify the agitation if the issues were not resolved by April 21.

The union resumes conciliatory meetings with the management on Tuesday.

TKMEU claimed in a statement that unions of 14 companies, under the aegis of All India Toyota Ancillary Federation Union, have expressed full support.

A majority of the car maker's 4,200-strong workers have not joined work since a lockout was lifted on March 24 and have been on a relay fast for the past one week. Discussions between the Toyota management and the employees’ union had remained inconclusive on Friday with the negotiations focussed on the suspension of 30 workers.

The union has maintained that it remained the key issue as the employees were suspended after the lockout was declared, which, they said, was against the rule. The second issue of Toyota insisting that they sign a good-conduct undertaking before joining work was dependant on resolving the suspension issue.